Rear extensions London

Inspiration and ideas

House and flat rear extensions are also about establishing a better relationship with the garden and this is something we always keep in mind when starting with your project. Victorian houses used to have their utility areas at the back of the house and as a result the garden is often cut off from the main living areas and this is something we will look to address during the design development stage. Because an architect designed rear house extension needs to be the sum of a variety of considerations, a response to the client brief, cost and quality requirements. Below we have selected some projects to lend architectural inspiration and design ideas for your rear extension.

Rear house extension ideas photo gallery

Architect designed Putney Wandsworth SW6 kitchen house extension Connecting to the rear garden Rear extensions London | Home design

Architect designed house extension Highbury Islington N5 Dinning and living areas Rear extensions London | Home design

East Finchley Barnet N2 House extension Kitchen view out 200x200 Rear extensions London | Home design

Architect designed house extension Grange Park Enfield N21 Outside view Rear extensions London | Home design

Design aspirations

Modern lifestyles and family living require that a visual and spatial connection is established between the kitchen, dining, and living areas, and the rear part of the house. When designing a rear extension an architect will try to open up the back wall, create long sightlines through spaces, establish views, and curve circulation paths between the internal and external spaces.

We will talk to you about what is important, and try to get a sense of how you would like to live, work, and play in your new environment. So, it is worth thinking about how you currently use your space, and how you would like to use any new space you choose to add.

During the design development stage we will get to explore lots of ideas but you can start the process now by considering answers to questions as such:

“Would an open plan layout work for us or would we prefer the kitchen area separate from the rest of the living areas? Which areas are best left enclosed and which spaces can we open up?”

“Should the kitchen area, the dining area, or the seating area be nearest to the rear garden? How does the sun move from dawn to dusk around the rear of the property, and how can we have best access to natural light?”

“What is the feel we look to achieve with regards to natural light? Should we keep the amount of roof glazing to a minimum which will make the rear garden appear more spectacular (Theatre stage effect)? Or should we go for lots of roof glazing to create an outdoor effect? Where should the cosy areas be?”

“How can we improve the garden and how can we blend the views from inside out and outside in when it comes to floor and wall finishes? What’s lacking in my relationship to my garden, and how do I want to use my outdoor space in the future?”

“How will the family use the new space and how will it work in harmony with the adjacent living areas? Do we need overlapping family space as part of the new rear extension, a study or tv corner, and how will the circulation flow work for us?”

Types

In pure design terms there are two main choices when considering a rear extension. The geometry of the extension, the amount of space added, the use of the internal spaces and how they connect to the garden area will all depend on the particular requirements of the occupiers. As a starting point though, and in design terms, we can define rear extensions as follows:

Traditional rear extension | A design that is in-keeping with the character of the existing house or flat, for example Georgian or Victorian.

Contemporary rear extension | A fresh addition that establishes a dialogue between tradition and modernity, and it reflects contemporary aspects of construction and design.

Variations on these two types of extension will depend on the specific character of the property, the design brief, and the architect’s consideration of any relevant construction, planning, or other restrictions. No two properties are exactly the identical, and no two projects are the same when it comes to considering the individual preferences of every home owner.

GOAStudio | London residential architecture and interior design is an award-winning practice, specialising in architectural services for residential projects across London.

Our architectural team aims to provide a friendly and professional service. Our approach is based on carefully considering the particular aspects of each scheme before coming up with a creative way for our clients to instil their unique stamp on what we do and how we do it. Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and Architects Registration Board (ARB).

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